Stephanie Croston

    The Friday night of state wrestling is often called "the heartbreaker round."
     Wrestlers in the third round of consolation matches must win in order to qualify for a medal, while wrestlers in the championship semifinals are competing for an opportunity to go for a state title.
     Those who lose in the consolation round end their tournament, while those who lose in the championship semifinal still qualify for a medal but not for a state title.
     Two Seward-area wrestlers will have the chance to wrestle for state titles this year.
     Mark Fiala of Seward notched an 8-4 decision over Jacob Cardenas of Omaha Skutt Catholic in the Class B 152-pound semifinals. He will meet Nicholas Sears of Omaha Gross Catholic in the finals. Fiala improved his record to 43-0 with the victory.
     Centennial's Breckin Coffey scored a 5-3 overtime victory over Kevin Barnard of Chase County. Coffey, now 38-3, will wrestle Travis Worm of David City in the Class C 145-pound championship match.
     Championship matches are scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16.
     Kevin Pedersen of Milford lost his 140-pound semifinal match to Derek Rowe of Syracuse 14-6. Pedersen, now 33-12, drops to the consolation bracket, where he will wrestle Kiefer Coatney of Auburn. The winner will compete for third place, while the loser will go for fifth place.
     Consolation semifinals begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, with fifth- and third-place matches starting at 10:15 a.m.
     Tom Bader of Centennial, 135 pounds, and Gary Burruss of Malcolm, 160 pounds, finished their seasons in the third round of consolation matches.
     Bader, a junior, lost to Kenny Points of Fort Calhoun 5-2, finishing his season with a record of 34-15.
     Burruss's season ended with a 5-4 loss to Anthony Belgum of Kimball. Burruss had an opportunity to win, but he completed his takedown attempt just after time expired. Burruss, a senior, finished his season with a 32-15 record.